Providing three incredible days of action, the Solheim Cup is a team event that draws millions of eyes to the best players in the world of golf.
Like the Ryder Cup, 12 players line up for the European side, whilst 12 players line up for the Americans. There are 28 points up for grabs and, if a side hits the 14.5 mark, they will win the Solheim Cup and add their names to the history books.
Structure-wise, on the first and second days of the Solheim Cup there is a mix of foursomes and four-balls, with a total of 16 points available. Then, on Sunday, all 12 players are present for the singles, with 12 points available. Format-wise, you get one point for a victory, a half-point for a tie and zero for a loss.
Now, you may wonder, what happens if the scores finish 14-14? Is there a play-off, for example? Well, if scores finish at 14-14, it will be the team who is defending the Solheim Cup that will retain. In 2023, after the scores finished tied, Europe retained as they won the trophy in 2021.
Over the years, there has been just one tie, which came in 2023, as well as a number of close calls. In 2019, Europe won 14.5-13.5, whilst USA won by the same score line in 2015. In terms of biggest wins, Europe hold that record in 2013, where they won 18-10 at Colorado Golf Club.
Along with the Solheim Cup, the Ryder Cup follows an identical layout, with 14.5 points also being the magical number in terms of victory. Again, the first two days will involve foursomes and four ball formats, with Sunday being the decider in singles.
